Centrifuging machine



Aug.2l, 1945. H CREWDSON 2,383,240

GENTRIFUGING MACHINE Filed March 3, 1942 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 34 ,z 2 c a r k INVENTOR. HENF'Y EFEWDSUN Aug 21, 1945.-

H. CREWDSON CENTRIFUGING ucams Filed March- 5. 1942 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N .A Y

Patented Aug. 21, 1945 CENTRIFUGING MACHINE Henry Crewdson, Chester County, Pa., assignor to. American Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application March 3, 1942, Serial No. 433,155

7 Claims. (Cl. 210-71) This invention relates to a device for removing liquids from wet processed cakes of rayon or other filamentary material, whether natural or artificial.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device for conveying the cakes being operated upon in a continuous circuit past a loading, and

unloading stationwith means, for centrifuging them in a portion of the circuit and with means for slowing the centrifuge motors to a stop by reversal of electric current supplied thereto. It is also an object to provide a centrifuging device of this type with a means for automatically ejecting the cake at least partially from the 'centrifuge pot after substantialreduction of speed of, the centrifuge as it approaches the loading and unloading station. Other objects of the invention will appear from the drawings and the description thereof.

In the drawings, illustrative of the invention,

Figure l'shows a plan view of the device,

vice,

' Figure is a plan view of one of the conveyor the device shown in Figure with parts cut away,

Figure 7 is a transverse elevation corresponding to that of Figure 5 of a modification of the cake ejector. r

In general, the device comprises a trough 2 in the form of a loop through which a series of centrifuging buckets 3 (the walls of which may be perforated in conventional manner) may be continuously drawn past a loading and unloading station A, a centrifuging station E, and the centrifuge stopping station C. These several stations are adjacent to one another so that the,

buckets pass through them in succession. A given machine may contain a single one of each of the said stations or it may comprise a plurality of such sequential stations, as shown in Figure 1 in which two such sequential treatment stages constitute the machine. An operator may to reload the bucketswitlf cakes K asthey pass. As each bucket approaches the unloading station A, a suitable mechanism provided at a station D adiacent thereto automatically ejects the cake Figure 2 shows an elevational view of the dc;-

from the bucket, at least partially, to facilitate removal of the cake by hand or otherwise at the unloading station A.

Each of the buckets :4 is provided with an individual'motor 4 which is mounted upon a-suitable platform 5 which serves as a conveyor for both the motor and the bucket. The trough 2 is provided with a central slot 6 running longitudinally thereof so that the spindle I connecting the bucket with the motor may be moved through the trough without interference therefrom. Each individual motor is provided with electrical contact members 8 which may consist of arms can'ying brush or roller contact elements which are adapted to make contact with bus bars 9' provided along the length of the trough through station B in order to drive the bucket while it passes through that station. These bus bars 9 are suitably protected within a casing shown generally at Hi in Figure'2 and are suitably connected electrically by the terminals I I shown diagrammatically in Figure 2 to a source of electrical power l2, whichas shown is a three-phase type, at the junction I211. The device is provided with additional bus bars in housing l3 along station C, These latter bus bars are not connected with those at station B, and are connected by be placed at each of the stations A to unload and the conveyor platform [may be provided with 7 wheels l8 which are adapted to ride within suitable oppositely disposed rails I! which serve to means. The trough may be covered, though preferably .and unload the bucket.

suitable terminals ll to the three-phase power supply 12 in a manner shown diagrammatically at, l2b in Figure 2 such that the current within the motor opposes its motion acquired along station B, thereby reducing its speed to effectively stop it. The length of the bus bars at station C are correlated to the speed of the buckets past them so as to bring the buckets to a substantially complete stop. This action is generally termed plugging and may be so referred. to hereinafter. If desired, other'means for reducing the speed of the centrifugal bucket may be provided along station C, one example being a braking not at the stations where it is desired to load Preferably the covers I! are removable, and they may be hinged to the trough in any suitable fashion. Suitable supports it are provided on either side of the trough at spaced points therealong and drainpipes l1 may be connected to the lowermost portions of the trough bottom, and these pipes may be connected to a drainheader or headers.

Referring more particularly to Figures 3 and 4,

and'42 mounted thereon. and 44 extending through suitable bearing surguide the conveyor with its motor and bucket throughthe circuit in the trough. Preferably, three wheels are disposed upon the platform as shown in Figure 3 to facilitate the making of any curves within the apparatus. A chain 20 which runs the length of the machine is fastened to the upper surface of the platform at one edge and v the-base of the bucket and have their lower ends fastened to an annular plate 26 beneath the bucket. This annular plate may be provided with an inner sleeve 21 which is adapted to slide about the hub 28 of the bucket. This ejector means is carriedalong with each bucket and comes intoplay for ejecting the plate 23 from the bucket at station D.

The operation of the ejectormeans is shown in Figures 5 and 6. Two vertical shafts 29 and 30 rovided with a positive driving interconnection, such as by the two sprockets 3| and 32 and the driving chain 33 at their lower ends, are provided with bevel gears 34 and 35 at their upper ends and one (30) of such shafts is provided with a driving sprocket 36 which is in mesh with the chain-20 by which it is ,driven. Two bevel gears .31 and 38 driven by the bevel gears 34 and 35 respectively on the vertical shafts 29 and 30 transmit motion through suitable supported horizontal shafts 39 and-40 to the quick-rise cams -4l Two vertical rods 43 faces 45 and 46 provided in the bottom of the trough are provided with follower plates 41 and 48 for operative engagement with the two cams 4| and 42' which impart vertical reciprocatory motionto the rods These rods 43 and 44 may be provided with rollers 49 and 50 at their upper end which engage the annular .plate 26 beneath the vertical shaft 5| by means of the bevel gears 56 and 51. The cams 54 and 55 cooperate with the circular lifting plate 58 connected by the vertical rod 59 to the ejector plate 60 within the bucket. The bucket is provided with a hollow driving shaft 6| which extends through the entire motor so that this rod may reciprocate vertically within the hollow shaft.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as defined bythe appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus for treating filamentary material, a plurality of centrifugal buckets, axially movable means in said buckets comprising a platform for supporting filamentary material, a plurality of motors, spindles concentric with the movable means and connecting the motors directly with the buckets. for driving said buckets, means for continuously moving said motors and buckets in a predetermined path, means for operating said motors during a portion of said motion, and cam means at a. different portion of said path arranged to axially-move said movable means to at least partially eject said-filamentary material .from said buckets when they pass said portion.

2. In apparatus for treating filamentary material, a plurality of centrifugal buckets, axially movable means in said buckets comprising a platform for supporting filamentary material, a plurality of motors, spindles concentric with the movable means and connecting the motors directly with the buckets for driving said buckets,

means for continuously moving said motors and buckets in a predetermined path, means for operating said motors during a portion of said motion, means for reducing the speed of said motors to bring the buckets to a substantially complete stop duringa second portion of said motion, and

bucket and effect ejection of the cake from the bucket upon rise thereof. The cams 4| and 42 are so shaped and the driving mechanismtherefor is so related to the shape thereof thatno vertical motion of the rods 43 and 44 is effected until after the annular plate 26 comes into position over the bearing rollers 49 and 50.

The extent of ejection of the cake from the bucket may be any proportion desired, this being controlled by the selection of the cams 4i and 42. As the bucket passes beyond the ejector means,

the ejector plate 23 descends into its normal position in the bottom of the bucket while the cake,

because of its tendency to grip the wall of the bucket after centrifuging, remains substantially at the position to which it has been raised by the ejector plate. In this manner, an operator may readily insert his hand within the cake to the bottom thereof or to any extent desired and obtain I a firm grip thereupon in a manner which will not distort the cake or tend to remove the wrapping, which may be of the cylindrical stocking type of textile wrapping, extending about both the interior and exterior of the cake from the interior of the cake.

A modification of the ejector mechanism is shown in Figure 7. In this figure, a vertical shaft BI is provided with the take-off sprocket 52 in mesh with the chain 20. A horizontal shaft 53 carrying the cams 54 and 55 may be driven by the cam means along a third portion of said path arranged to axially move said movable means to at least partially eject said filamentary material from said buckets when they pass said portion. 7

3. In apparatus for treating filamentary material, a plurality of centrifugal buckets, axially movable means in each of said buckets compris-- ing a platform for supporting filamentary material, said means being provided with a vertically reciprocable operating member outside said bucket, a plurality of motors, spindles concentric with the corresponding operating members and connecting the motors directly with the buckets for drivingsaid buckets, means for continuously moving said motors and buckets in a' predetermined path, means for operating said motors during aportion of said motion, means for reducing the speed of said motors to bring the ,buckets to asubstantially complete stop during a second portion of said motion, and cam means along a third portion of said path for elevatingsaid operating member when it passes said porion.

a. In apparatus for treating filamentary material, a plurality of centrifugal buckets, axially movable means in each of said buckets comprising a platform for supporting filamentary material, said means being provided with a vertically reciprocable operating member outside said bucket, a plurality of motors, spindles concentric with the corresponding operating members and connecting theamotors directly withothe assaaeo buckets for driving saidmucketameans .tor

continumislyim ivinljsaidfmotors and buckets m a predetermined path, vfor diire'rent portion ot said path hrit it passessaid portion; 1

5.111 apparatus for treating filamentary material, aplurality of centrifugal buckets, axially movable means in each of said buckets for sup-.

porting filamentary provided with' a vertically reciprocable operating member outside said bucket," a plurality or motors 'tor.j.driving' said centrifugal" buckets, meansiorcontinuouslylmoving said motors and buckets-in a predetermined {patina electrical con tact members i on each 'oils'aid motors bus-bars 1 operating said motors during a portion ot=flsaid motion, and-cammeansxalongfa ranged to elevate saidn operatingmember when" material; said means being 1 materiahsaid means being provided with a ver- -ticaliy1 .-reciprocable operating. member outside, said-buckets, a plurality *oimotors, spindles concentric withthe'corresponding operating membersconnectingthe motors directlywith-the bucktsior drivingrsaidbuckets. means for com tinuously moving said motors and-.buckets in a pre-determined. path, means for operating said motors; during aportion of said motion, rotatable oam means arranged to elevate said operating member when it passesi said portion, means for rotating said i and-driving means for said cam rotatingmeans. it

terial; a plurality of centrifugal buckets, axially extending along a portion oi saidlpatma second set oinbus bars extendin along a secondpor- .tionofgsaid path; a com'monpower suppl said two. .sets'got Lbus bars being connected thereto,

said secondset of bus bars being connected to the common power s pply in' such a manner with respect to said first set as to. oppose the motion or said motorsresulting irommonnection with r the set.-and means along a thirdportion or saidmath for elevatingsaid operating memher when it passes said portion.

6. In apparatus for treating filamentary material, a plurality of centriiugal'buckets. axially movable means ineach oi saldbuckets comprising a platform for supporting filamentary movable'means in each of said buckets for supp-"1 porting filamentary material," said means being "provided with -a vertically reciprocable operating" member outside said bucket, a plurality of mo- .7 tors for driving said buckets, means i'orncontinuousiy moving said motor-sand buckets in a pre-determined pathrmeans tor operatingsaid motors during a portion 0! said motion. rotatable cam means along 'a diflerent portion s of said P th for elevating said operating memberwhen it passes said portion, and means for rotating-v said cam means,- said cam rotating means havf ingdriving connections with said means for 80 continuously moving said motors'in a predetermined path.

' HENRY CREWDBON.

along a diflerent portiont'ltsaidpatli 7. In apparatus for treating filamentary ma- 

